Visalia Times-Delta from Visalia, California • 3

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2007 VISALIA TIMES-DELTA Kinibcriina Itoclia Schools T7 I i 1" Atf hit of 1950, recounted high school memories with her friends. Johnson was the Valley's tennis champion in 1950, she said. "I love it," she said of the reunion. "It's very good to see the class of 1950 back together." Members of Visalia Senior High School were also present According to reunion organizers, Visalia Senior High School was the area's second high school that opened gradually, with freshmen and sophomores attending the new campus in 1950-5L See REUNION, 5A such as John Trask. Trask and Low are part of the 1949 graduating class of Visalia Union High School, where present-day Redwood High School now stands.

"He was one of my first friends," Low said of Trask. "We have been friends since junior high school It's been 65 years since we've known each other." Trask said ha enjoyed seeing his high school friends. "I really don't see it as a reunion," Trask said. "It's more like a time of community and sharing warm memories." Peggy Serbu Johnson, class Visalia high school classes meet in Mooney Grove By Kimberiina Rocha Staff writer High school memories of decades past were relived Saturday as members from Visalia high school graduating classes of 1948-54 gathered at Mooney Grove Park. For Morey Low, the multi-year reunion which has become an annual event in late September was a chance to catchup withlongtime friends 1 Kimberiina Rocha From left to right Morey Low, Anita Campos, Duke Sparks, Peggy Serbu Johnson and John Trask share fond memories at a high school reunion for the Visalia Union and Visalia Senior high school classes of 1948-54 Saturday afternoon at Mooney Grove Park.

GOOD DEEDS, GOOD NEWS Cooks for a cause 3 1w 1 RciHoknan Engineer Allen Wilkinson, left, and Capt Damn Hughes of the Visalia Fire Department scoop up a sample of the team's chili for the judges during Sunday's Firefighter's Chili Cook-Off. Five groups competed in the event at the 6th annual Home Expo at the Visalia Convention Center. Visalia placed second among the judges. Firefighters dish chili for charity Education excellence award nominees named Marty Frolli, principal at Goshen Elementary School, is a fi nalist for the 2007 Excellence in Education Awards for Tulare County. Frolli was a finalist in the administrationmanager category.

Nancy Hawkins and Rosie Torres, also from the Visalia Unified School District; were nominees for teacher and school employee of the year, respectively. All three will be honored among other winners, finalists and nominees in the county Oct 3 at a recognition breakfast at the Visalia Convention Center. The awards are sponsored by the Tulare County Office of Education. Police academy to start at COS Police academy courses at the College of the Sequoias will start up Feb. 11, 2008, and run to mid-July.

The 26-week course will provide state-mandated basic training for those interested in becoming full-time law enforcement officers in California. To qualify, applicants must have a high school diploma or GED, California driver's license and no felony convic tions. Applicants are required to take a Nov. 17 pre-test on basic reading and writing. Course fees for California residents are $677.

Uniforms and other equipment must be See SCHOOLS, 5A VISALIA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Visalia Unified School District board of trustees meeting When: 7 p.m., Tuesday Where: VUSD Educational Complex, 5000 W. Cypress Ave. Public comment: 7:25 p.m. Early-bird session: 5:30 p.m. Key items Update on VUSD block grant implementatioa Report on K-8 after-school programs.

2007-08 After-School Education and Safety Program Grant for Green Acres, Di-visadero and Valley Oak schools. TULARE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS When: 9 a.m. Tuesday Where: Board chambers, 2800 W. Burrel Visalia Public comment 9 am Key items Introduction of ordinance establishing zoning for planned communities, tied to Boswell development in Yokhol Valley. Vote to approve acceptance of the countywide preliminary facilities condition and new civic master plan final report Getting the agenda: Go to www.co.tulare.ca.us, click "County Government," "Board of Supervisors," "Board Agendas," then "meeting date" CORRECTIONS The rimes-Delta promptly acknowledges and corrects errors.

To report an error in a news story, please call the executive editor, 735-3268, or the senior editorlocal news, to Social Security meeting delayed By Gerald Carroll Staff writer A public meeting concerning the controversial construction of a Social Security Administration in an east Visalia neighborhood has been rescheduled for 530 pjn. Tuesday at the Builders Ex? change Building on the corner ofLovers Lane and Tulare Avenue in Visalia. The session was originally scheduled for Saturday, but rescheduled for Tuesday to accommodate all parties concerned with the building, said neighborhood-group spokeswoman Kimberlie Tyler. Concerned residents of the neighborhood oppose the Social Security Adrninistration's desire to site its proposed building on the 1.18-acre site on Lovers Lane, just south of Tulare Av enue. 5 -jl The developer, Imperial Group of suburban San Diego, agreed in January to lease the parcel to the U.S.

General Ser vices Administration, which acquires property and buildings for all federal agencies including the Social Security. Administration. However, the developer; needs a conditional-use per-, mit to proceed with construe-' tion, city officials say. An application for such a permit must be submitted and approved by the Visalia Planning Commissioa Questions have arisen whether the GSA can act uni-; laterally and have the structure built even if Visalia city officials and residents disapprove. Nearby residents oppose the building because of traffic and safety concerns.

i Tyler said that representatives of Imperial Group, the company's Visalia-based architects, federal and Visalia city officials will likely attend to answer questions put to them by concerned residents. The reporter canbe reached at gcarrollvisalia.gannett. com. HOWTO ATTEND What: Neighborhood meeting concerning the building of a Social Security Administration field office in east Visalia When: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday Where: Builders Exchange Building, comer of Lovers Lane and Tulare Avenue, Visalia Information: nossahere yahoo.com Man admits to robbing business A Visalia man is in custody after he turned himself in to police late Friday confessing to robbing Rumbo Travel in the 900 block of Court Street, Visalia police reported.

Charles Watson, 38, was arrested Friday. Staff reports 1 a 1 I -rr r) off while the public had their choice of judging the best chili Reedley won both the judges' and people's choice competitions. The prize money will go toward Community Regional Medical Center's burn unit in Fresno. IN BRIEF her clothes caught fire, Tulare County firefighters reported. The incident was ruled an accident, said Joe Garcia, division chief of the Tulare County Fire Department Firemen answered a call at 227 pm in the 2200 block of North Airport Drive, where the girl lives.

The child suffered second- and third-degree burns over 40 percent of her body, Garcia said. Her By Kimberiina Rocha Staff writer Firefighters and emergency personnel batded it out Sunday afternoon at the inaugural Firefighter's Chili Cook-Off at the Visalia Convention Center. With flavors ranging from chile verde to chicken chili, five teams competed for the best chili, which was part of the sixth annual Home Expo. Along with bragging rights, winners receive money that goes toward a charity of their choice. Engineer Allen Wilkinson of the Visalia Fire Department said members spent two hours cooking the chili Mario Sides of Porterville and his family took their time tasting each team's chili.

For him, he said, Visalia's was the best "It's not too spicy, and it has more meat in it," he said. Audrey Tangonan of Exeter said she had a hard time choosing her favorite chili. She was torn between Visalia's and the recipe cooked up by the Reedley Fire Department "They're both really good and spicy," she said. Hot and spicy was the effect Lester Costa wanted for his chile verde. Costa was part of the American Medical Response team.

Man arrested after wife is shot, dies A Visalia man was arrested Friday night after he said he shot a firearm in his residence, accidentally killing his wife, Visalia police reported. Terry Geller, 46, called po lice after the incident, which occurred at 8:42 in the 600 block of East Harold Avenue. HOTTEST CHILI Prize-winners in the first-ever Firefighter's Chili Cook-Off at the Visalia Convention Center" First place: Reedley Fire Department raising $500 for Community Regional Medical Center's bum unit in Fresno Second place: Visalia Fire Department raising $250 for Alisa Ann Ruch Bum Foundation Third place: Tulare Fire Department raising $100 for Tulare County Firefighter's Association Youth Program People's Choice: Reedley Fire Department, raising $150 for Community Regional Medical Center's bum unit in Fresno Reedley firefighter Rich Rodriguez said he was proud his team won since they put "a lot of TLC" into the chili "We're not the only winners here today," he said. "The burn center in Fresno is also winner. I'm happy we won this for the center." Good Deeds; Good News aims to recognize the things thatpeopledo for others or for their community: the unselfish gesture, the generous thoughtoraction.Ifyouknow of one, let us know.

Call 735-3276, fax 735-3399 or e-mail newsVisaliaTimesDelta. com. dress caught fire, and the girl's mother extinguished the blaze with her own clothes and by using a garden hose. The child was flown to the Fresno Community Regional Medical Center's burn unit Garcia said he was uncertain about the child's prognosis. The accident was witnessed by the girl's 3-year-old brother.

Garcia declined to identify the child. RonHolman Selma firefighter Richard Essegian cools a sample of Visalia Fire Department's chili at the Firefighter's Chili Cook-Off. He said the chunks of pork mixed with tomatillos and green chiles gave his team's chili a unique taste. "Everybody else is doing the red chili," he said. "With this version, people will have more of a variety." The judges selected the top three teams in the cook- found Tina Geller dead in the bathroom with a single gunshot wound to her neck, police said.

Terry Geller was arrested on suspicion of homicide, officials said. Girl playing with matches burned A 4-year-old Pixley girl who was playing with matches was badly burned on Friday when When officers arrived, they.